The Rise of the Corinthos: Vincent (Chin) Gigante
by Gillen1962
Summary: Across Port Charles the world is changing: Sonny comes home. Jason Heads to Yankee Stadium. Joss and Kristina fall deeper into trouble. An Old Familiar Face returns home. Alexis falls again. Ava has a job offer for Sam


_The Rise of the Corinthos: Vincent (Chin) Gigante_

Kristina Davis was in Port Charles Park. She liked coming here. Especially when things were tough. And Kristina reflected her life was always tough. If it was not one thing it was another. Her mother Alexis Davis was at the hospital with her half-sister Molly. Once again Molly was causing trouble. She and her boyfriend TJ Ashford had been exposed to some type of poisonous gas in the underground sub-basement of General Hospital. Molly was fine, because justice was never served to those who deserved it, Kristina thought. But TJ needed a blood transfusion and for reasons that Kristina could not bother to understand Alexis was the one whose blood was needed.

Alexis was supposed to come with Kristina to Port Charles University and help her with registration. Instead she was again caught up in Molly's self -created Cassadine drama.

Kristina took some comfort in her Father Sonny's progress in recovery. Kevin Collins his doctor had spoken to her about Sonny coming home the next day, and continuing his treatment from the bipolar breakdown he had suffered, brought on by Molly, she reminded herself, as an outpatient.

Carly, her father's estranged wife, who Kristina had spent time with over the past couple of days, had explained that it would be unwise, and perhaps, unsafe for Sonny, for her to move back home. Instead Carly planned to continue working with her new modelling agency and Maxie Jones' Fashion Design House: Deception on an upcoming ad campaign. Some large fashion firm from New York was already negotiating with both women to buy the companies. Kristina did not understand what Carly was talking about, but she had mentioned it to her Father, and he had approved. So that was good enough for her.

No one had heard from Jason in weeks. Kristina had gone back and forth questioning his loyalty, but she realized now that he must be trying to find the people who drove her father out of the business. Sam had been in touch with him but whatever stupid case she was now working on for the Quartermaine's had taken precedent. The Quartermaine's Kristina realized were among those who were ruining her life. Her brother Michael was using Quartermaine as his last name once again. He had attempted to explain to Kristina that Sonny's latest trouble, since it involved a young girl, made it impossible for him to do business as CEO of ELQ while using the Corinthos last name. He saw it as a practical move. She saw is for what is was a betrayal of her father. Now Sam was neglecting her place with Jason in order to work some stupidity for the Quartermaine's.

Kristina had been having an off and on relationship with Detective Valerie Spencer for several months, but now that relationship was it seemed totally off. Valerie was now part of the elite WSB Liaison team at the Port Charles Police Department, and with crime rising around the city she had little time for Kristina.

The rising crime was also upsetting to Kristina, the increase in strung out drug addicts that seemed to be everywhere, but especially in the Sonyea area where Carly had her agency, was physically revolting. Many of these people slept in the streets and went days without washing. Kristina could not understand how anyone could fall so far, and she felt that they were an infringement on her peace of mind as she walked around the city.

All of this was too much for her. She sat on the bench in Port Charles Park holding back tears. She needed to pull herself together. She reached in her jacket pocket and took out the handful of pills that Nisida, her new friend who worked for Carly had given her. Nisi had told her that when she was nervous or anxious the pills would numb that feeling. Kristina took a swing from her water bottle then popped one of the pills in her mouth. She waited a moment. Nothing. She took three more and drank some water. Kristina sat back and waited for the numbness.

Sonny Corinthos stood by the window of his room at Shady Brook having a mental conversation with his deceased wife Lilly.

"Are you planning on wearing those pajamas and that ratty old bathrobe home?" Lilly asked him.

"Yes" Sonny replied.

"Why? They are not attractive. They make you look so down and out"

Sonny smiled. "Good. That is the point."

"How so?"

Sonny wondered how much a ghost already knew and how much it was necessary to tell her in conversation. To answer his questions Lilly said. "Assume I do not know anything, Sonny."

"The Albanian was becoming a threat to my family. I am still not sure what happened out there, but I know Jason is out of the city and that someone else is in charge. I am not leaving Port Charles; I need to do my penance here. Still I need to make sure my family stays safe. Just staying out of the business may not be enough to convince people."

"So, you are going to act crazy?" Lilly asked as she walked through a table and towards Sonny.

"Lilly I am crazy." Sonny said with a smiled. "I am having a conversation with a ghost."

Josslyn Jacks was far more bored with modeling then she had expected to be. When Maxie offered her the chance to be the center piece of her Deception Fashion Campaign as the Newest Face of Deception, she had pictured wonder outfits, cute pictures and lots of fun.

Instead what she got were hot lights, poses that twisted her back and lots of time sitting around with Nisida and the other former hooker of Carly's modeling agency waiting while lights were moved, sound was checked for videos, props were moved in and out and Maxie and Her mother argued with each other and the Photographer who in turned argued with his staff.

Now that David Gray guy was back negotiating once again a sale price. It seemed to Joss that Maxie wanted to sell right away but her Mother was delaying things and somehow Gray was almost confused that they were separate companies.

Joss was texting both Cameron and Dev. Dev was at the PCPD Academy. Joss was still getting her head around that. She looked at the wallpaper on her phone. Oscar. She wondered what the boy she had loved would say, if he could see her doing this. But he couldn't. He had died and it was just all so unfair. Joss kept waiting not to miss him. But that day had not come yet and she felt it never would

Ginger, one of the girls from the Modelling agency sat down next to Joss.

"This is so boring."

"Yep" Joss replied. She was not looking to make friends with any of these people.

"If I wasn't lit, I'd be screaming." The girl said.

Joss looked at her. "Lit?"

"High A.F. "

Joss shook her head. The girl held out her hand. "Take one."

"Nah I'm good."

"Suit yourself. It will make you forget the bad and get through stuff."

Forget. She could do with a minute where she forgot Oscar. She reached into the girl's hand and took the pill.

Monica Quartermaine and her Nephew Ned were standing on the outdoor patio of the Quartermaine Mansion.

Monica clutched the long sweater she wore tightly around her.

"You okay?" Ned asked.

Monica laughed. "Gee Ned, I just had a long conversation with a woman who was supposed to be frozen to death nearly forty years ago. And not only did I pretend it was all normal, but I ignored her entire line of crap story."

"Oh, you mean you didn't buy her being rescued by a native Polynesian tribe and spending more than a decade recovering on the their Island? Having amnesia and meeting a billionaire tycoon from South Africa, who married her and living on his estate in South Africa for twenty years, and the trauma of his death triggering her memories returning? You don't believe that?" Ned could not help but laugh.

"You skipped the best part, that his name was Crane Toliver and that was just one of those odd coincidences that happen sometimes." Monica rolled her eyes.

Ned laughed and put his arm around her shoulders. "Well it is a good thing we can laugh at this."

Monica nodded in agreement. "You know the only thing I keep wondering Ned?"

"What?"

"Why don't the good people like Alan or Emily or Dawn ever come back from the dead.?"

TJ Ashford lay in a bed at General Hospital. His Mother Jordan Ashford sat at his bed side, her husband his Uncle Curtis paced the room.

"So, it was Miss Davis blood that saved me?" TJ asked confused.

"Yes." Said Jordan. "The pathogen had no effect on her and so her blood could be used as an anti-toxin."

"Because of her blood type?" TJ Followed up.

"And because she is a Cassadine" Curtis said.

Jordan shook her head. "Not that you would have needed a transfusion if it were not for the Cassadine's in the first place."

"Mom that is unfair." TJ Said.

"Your dying so that Molly and her Uncle could explore tunnels is not fair TJ."

"Where is Molly?" TJ Asked.

"I suggested that she go home." Jordan said. "Wherever home is now for that girl. I thought that we should talk."

"Abut?"

"About the fact that you are no longer dating Molly Davis, you are dating Molly Cassadine and that is a level of danger I am not sure I am comfortable with."

On the Port Charles Docks Molly Cassadine listened to her Uncle Valentin and her Mother Alexis Davis continue their argument.

"She is not going back to Spoon Island with you." Alexis was saying for the one hundredth time.

Valentin shook his head. "How did you become so shrill? "

"I don't know maybe all those years being brought up terrified of Helena. Something you missed."

"Please let us not compare tragic childhoods, it is both useless and pathetic."

Alexis Davis shook her head. "I have indulged Molly's fascination with her Cassadine roots, but that is over now."

"I am the one who makes this choice Mother and I agree with Uncle Valentin." Molly said.

"You are a child." Alexis snapped.

"I am over the legal age" Molly retorted. The launch to the island arrived and Molly turned and walked down the boarding ramp.

"Alexis, I truly do not wish it to be this way. There is no reason we cannot be family."

"Other than the fact that you killed our nephew Nicholas."

"In self-defense. And for the sake of history Nicholas Killed Helena, who in turn had killed her mother-in-law. Killing each other is an old family custom that you and I and Moly can end."

"Go to hell."

Valentin nodded and turned towards the docks. "I am sure that I will Sister, and I am sure you will be there waiting for me."

Alexis listened as the launch faded from sight then began to sob. And finally cry.

From the shadow of the docks Donal Hasanpapa stepped forth. "Dear Alexis, are you all right?"

She turned and buried her face in his arms.

In most of the country when the fall chill fills the air and the calendar turns to October, the season of the boys of Summer comes to a close and the last shout of Play Ball is heard until Spring.

In most of the country but this was the Bronx and, in the Bronx, there is always baseball in October.

Jason in his guise of Alan Lee Holt was sitting with Rovena Kransqi along the third base line. He had been, he recalled, to Yankee Stadium once before. He had been seven. He and his ten-year-old brother AJ, Their Father Alan, Dr Steve Hardy, his teen age son Tommy and Dr. Tony Jones had come down to see the Yankees play the Cleveland Indians. They were all rooting for the Yankees, except for Dr. Hardy who wore an old-fashioned Indians Jersey and seemed to know many of the players on that team personally.

Jason knew that he should remember more of the day, more of the emotion of his joy, or the laughter he saw far too rarely from his father or Tom Hardy's teen age bravado. But the emotion had been lost to him in the accident that had blown his frontal lobes. Now all that was left was a recently restored memory with no emotional connection at all.

Jason also knew that he should not be here. That he should be tracking down his lead on Marijian Shehu the New York based mob boss who had driven him out of Port Charles and taken over Sonny's business. But when his boss at Johnny's Bronx Café had handed him the two tickets, his first thought had been of Rovena and taking her to her first baseball game.

Jason's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the loud crack of the bat and a thunderous roar of the crowd. A line drive off the bat of New York Yankee Slugger Arron Judge was speeding toward them. In a blink of an eye Jason snatched out his hand. Catching the ball mere inches from the side of Rovena's head.

The crowd around them went nuts and then when the play was shown on the Jumbotron the entire ballpark erupted in cheers.

Rovena hugged him tight. "Alan you just saved my life."

"Or saved you from a bad headache" Alan said smiling.

Some where the crowd had begun chanting "kiss her" Jason looked out and shook his head. ON the field he could even see Judge mouth "kiss her" with a smile on his face.

Jason kissed Rovena on the cheek.

The crowd booed. Alan blushed and then turned and kissed the Albanian girl long and deep. They were still kissing long after the next batter had struck out and the inning was over.

Peter August walked into his office at the Port Charles Intruder to find Annie Donnelly sitting behind his desk.

"Annie?" Peter said. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Annie leaned forward on the desk, she was chewing on a pencil which she took out and twired before putting it in the side of her mouth. "You know I have been wondering something since I found out that you were responsible for the Jason Morgan Clone."

"Drew is not a clone" Peter said

"Whatever Henny. "Annie said getting up "And I know that the whole massive scheme was your father and Helena."

"Exactly" Peter said growing annoyed.

"And I know that Valentin Cassadine took you under his wing."

"Yes Annie, where is this going" Peter said smiling.

"Henny you held Jason Morgan captive for five years."

"And the WSB exonerated me and Jason and I are good."

Annie held up her hands. "Hey, I am not saying you shouldn't be good Henny, you want to chain me up for five years and have me at your disposal I may even smile, as long as we have a safe word."

Peter took a deep breath. "So, then what is it you want Annie?"

"Henny, where did you get the money?"

"What money?"

"The small fortune it would cost to hold a man like Jason Morgan hostage for five years."

'You know as well as I do Annie that my Father forced me to hold Jason."

"So Fasion paid for everything?"

"Yes."

"Where did he get the money?"

"What?"

"Where did Fasion get the money?"

"How in the hell should I know Annie? Peter snapped.

"Geez Henny, you are a writer and a reporter, you own and a god damn newspaper. "Annie said. "And you have never asked? Never wondered? Was it Helena? Did Fasion print his own money? Did he have a large diamond in a safe deposit box in Switzerland…never mind that was the other guy…but you were never the least bit curious where Fasion got the money?"

"No."

Annie walked over and stood on her tip toes, she brushed her lips very close to Peter's "Henny, you are lying."

She spun before he could kiss her and walked out.

Peter stood breathing hard. Then whirled and swept everything off his desk. "DAMN IT"

Franco Baldwin moved his painting easel for the fifth time in three minutes. His sister Serena sitting on the studio chair shook her head and laughed. "Franco, all you are doing is putting the painting of Karen on it so we can show Dad"

"Location is everything" Franco said. They were on the top floor of the Barrett Cannery which was slowly but surely being converted into a joint military/VA/Civilian Veterans and community center. The upper loft space was a new studio for Franco, where he was to begin in less than a week to teach art classes as part of an art therapy session for veterans.

Right now, though Franco was trying to find the right light for the painting of his late sister Karen Wexler that he hoped to present to his Father Scotty Baldwin, at the opening of the studio, and Ava Jerome's downstairs gallery the next night.

He moved the easel again and said to Serena "So tell me about this Aunt of ours?"

"Brooke Bentley" Serena said. "She runs the Copperhead School."

"I know that School Elizabeth was talking about enrolling Aidan there next semester, there enlightened and both education and in their outlook on kids…well…kids…like Aidan.

Serena nodded. She wondered if society would ever have the ability to talk about children finding their sexual identity with maturity and compassion. Then again, she was making a career in an organization that till recently had been all about don't ask don't tell, so she doubted it.

"Educationally they are supposed to be excellent. And the whole concept was Brooke's idea." She said.

"Sounds like a smart lady, but why hasn't Scott ever mentioned her before?"

"She is his half-sister. Dad's birth mother, Meg was married to Lloyd Bentley, Scott's birth Father, Brooke was his daughter from a previous marriage. Lloyd died while Meg was pregnant with Scotty. She and Brooke and Scott came here to Port Charles. Meg started dating some Doctor, Noel something or other. Brooke hated her Step-Mother and so had an affair with Noel."

"How very early Carly of her." Franco said.

Serena laughed. "Everyone says that. Any way unlike Carly, Brooke had the dignity to get out of town, Meg married Lee, then Meg passed away."

"And Lee married Gail."

"Well he had a fling with Jessie Brewer in between but yes."

Franco held up his hand. "The Legendary Jessie Brewer?"

Serena Laughed. "That is what I heard. It was before my time, or yours but yeah."

"Before my time too, but her name invokes that hushed awe that Steve Hardy and Edward Quartermaine get, so old Lee was Jessie's boy huh." Franco said then added. "So, Brooke ran off and was never heard from again?" Franco said.

"Apparently. And you know Dad, if there is one thing, he can hold it's a grudge."

"And you?" Franco asked.

"I like her, she has some really good ideas about integrating the children with our Veterans to benefit both."

Franco nodded. "I'd like to meet her."

"I am having lunch with her tomorrow to try to convince her to come tomorrow night to the opening here. We will be at Kelly's at like noon."

"I'll drop by. So, you all set for tomorrow?"

"Yep. Right before I came up here I made a phone call into the Intruder. I wanted to make sure they send Lulu to cover it."

"I thought you didn't like Lulu?" Franco said.

"I don't I just want to make her have to write the Logan Hayes Veterans Center over and over again."

Franco nodded. "So, this grudge thing: it's a family trait huh."

Dr. Soumia Al-Fayheed came out of the kitchen of the WSB House with a cup of coffee in her hand. Her Boyfriend and the Port Charles Field Commander for the WSB Lucky Spencer sat on the couch playing video games.

"What are you doing?" She snapped as she went to the closet by the door and took out a light blue scarf.

"What?" Lucky said over the noise of the video game.

Soumia Al-Fayheed stepped in between Lucky and the TV She placed her hands on her hips and repeated. "What are you doing?"

Lucky put the game controls down and stood up. He took her in his arms. "Well at this moment I am wondering how you got a Port Charles University Hoodie so quickly. In a minute I will be kissing you and right before that I am going to ask why you are putting on a hijab, so we have company coming?"

"Do we have company coming?" Soumia said in a sing song voice. "Gee Lucky I only told you seven times. that Drew Cain and Dr. Thomas Hardy were coming by today so we can discuss a treatment program for the restoration of Drew's memories."

"Right, is that now?"

Soumia sighed. "Yes, Lucky it is now. Can you take your video games up to your room?"

"Sorry Annie is out of the house and I need to stay this close to guard your body, it is my sworn duty as a WSB Agent."

Soumia put her hand on his chest and looked deeply into his eyes. She moved her face close to his, their lips inches apart and then she said. "HA, you said do dee."

Lucky smirked and kissed her. The doorbell rang.

"And now you have to answer the door while I tie this." Soumia said breaking the kiss and holding up the scarf.

"Or maybe they will come back tomorrow." Lucky said kissing her again.

The doorbell rang once more. "Impatient patients." Lucky said.

Soumia broke the kiss and swiftly headed up the floating staircase to her room.

Lucky went to the door and opened it. Dr Thomas Hardy smiled when he saw Lucky. "Wow" he said. "Look at you, when I left town you were a soulful teenager writing music in an old box car. And now you're a young James Bond."

Lucky shook the Doctors hand. "Please no, I worry enough about getting my father's hair line without thinking about getting Sean Connery's."

"Ha" Tom laughed, as Lucky led him to the living room. "Sir Sean, still gets all the pretty girls."

Lucky spotted Soumia coming down the stairs. "Not, all of them" He said nodding his head. "Have you two met in person?"

"Only had the pleasure of speaking on the phone. "Tom said holding out his hand. "Dr. Al-Fayheed, a pleasure."

"Please call me Soumia, Dr. Hardy and the pleasure is mine your reputation in the field of PTSD is well known. I have followed your writings for years."

"Please call me Tom. And your work is impressive as well."

"Tom, I cannot wait to discuss some of your theories, but I have one question that cannot wait, and I hope you can answer before drew gets here."

"What is that?"

Soumia slipped her arm through Lucky's "Is it true you once helped Lucky fake his Mother's death?"

Tom slapped Lucky on the arm. "I did, and folks will tell you It was all Luke and Laura's idea, but I know for a fact that the boy genius here came up with the details."

Ava Jerome wandered around her new gallery. To say she felt pleased would be an understatement. The New Jerome Gallery at the Logan Hayes Center was far more modernistic then her previous place. The lighting from large skylights was amazing. All that was missing Ava thought were some rare pieces.

Sam McCall entered her Aunt's Gallery and gave a low whistle. "Okay Ava, I have to hand it to you this place is great."

"And you are going to help me make it greater" Ava Said.

"Me?"

Ava was the sister of Sam's father Julian Jerome, but they were not close. They had of course had their moments, but they were hardly friends and certainly not close relatives. Sam did admit that her son Danny enjoyed spending time with his…what was Avery to Danny… Cousin? Any way Danny did like her.

Ava looked. "Are you still working a case for the Quartermaine's? "

Sam shook her head. "No, now that Alexandria Quartermaine has been exposed as the owner of the companies, I was hired to investigate there is no need to stay under cover."

Ava nodded. "Ethan Lovett said she tried to kill him, Drew and Molly in France."

"Yes, but she had her face covered and was on a laptop, there is just not enough proof" Sam said. "But do you need a private investigator is that why you called me?"

"No, I need someone in your old trade, Sam I need a treasure hunter."

Sam looked at Ava puzzled. "I was in sea Salvage years ago, but treasurer hunter?"

"You also looked for the Dead Man's hand right, that was on land." Ava said. "Look a lot of the rarer pieces I had were destroyed in the fire. My vision for this gallery is to put together a collection of rare art pieces and ancient artifacts that appeal both to the Veterans for whom this building is dedicated and the history of Port Charles."

Sam mulled it over in her head. There was no doubting she had been at loose ends with life. Things with Jason was as odd as they had ever been. She had spoken to him the just a few hours before, but he seemed rushed and uninterested. He was glad that her case for the Quartermaine's was over but made it a point to tell her not to take any more cases that would jeopardize the safety he an ensured her from the Albanian. Sam had resented that comment

She had asked Jason how the investigation was going, and he had been vague. Deep down Sam hoped it was going nowhere and that soon Jason would give up, as if Jason ever gave up, and find a place for all of them to live new lives away from Port Charles. Because as much as she missed Jason, she did not miss the constant danger that she and her Children were in because of Sonny and Jason's work.

Jason however did not seem any closer to giving up the investigation though he also seemed to make no progress. Instead all he seemed to do was deepen his cover. He had an apartment and two jobs.

Sam had an idea what was going on: She had spent a lot of time, especially when she was conning men, assuming other identities, the longer one remained under cover the more the new identity becomes real.

Jason had really never gone this deep under before. Yes, he had posed as another person but only for a few hours and almost always with Sam or Spinelli, someone to anchor him to his real life. Moreover, with his brain damage Sam thought he may be more susceptible to becoming immersed. She knew that emotion was hard for him, that there was a need of reinforcement of the emotion from other people. Love, loyalty, friendship all could be problematic for someone whose Frontal Lobes did not function if there was not a reminder. Jason had been gone nearly eight weeks. At first, they spoke every night but over the past week they had only spoken twice. Sam felt he was becoming the Alan Lee Holt identity he had taken. She realized that soon she would need to go to the Bronx and speak face to face with Jason. But not today.

"So, you want me to track down art pieces? And artifacts?" Sam asked her Aunt.

"Yes, I would put you on retainer and give you, let's say 5% of my commission on each piece you find that we sell." Ava responded.

"And expenses "Sam asked. "Which may include an hourly rate for Spinelli."

"Half of his hourly and all other expenses." Ava countered

Sam stuck out her hand. "Okay. What do we have first?"

"I was looking for a piece that had a history in Port Charles and also somehow had a connection to the military that Serena could use as a talking point for her Veterans,"

Sam Shrugged. "Okay."

"So, tell me Samantha, have you ever heard of the Sword of Iskandar?"

Anna Devane and Mac Scorpio both wearing face masks watched as a team of WSB and PCPD CSI officers pulled apart Helena's underground labs.

"You would think a cave in would have kept people out." Mac said.

Anna laughed. "People yes, but not Cassadine's."

"Molly is hardly a Cassadine." Mac replied.

"Are you so sure Mac?"

The Police Commissioner shook his head. "Anna, I have known that girl since she was born. Alexis' would not raise a Cassadine. "

Anna shrugged. "She is changing."

"Growing pains. Molly is a good kid."

"We thought Nicholas was a good man for decades." Anna said.

Before Mac could reply a WSB Agent came over. "Agent Devane, we have the tanks containing the gas. There is also a tank immediately adjacent containing a liquid, we think it is the same compound."

Anna nodded. "Siphon off a sample of each and get it up stairs to Dr. Finn's Lab. Then take the tanks to the WSB Haz-Mat site and destroy them."

"Yes, Boss."

When the agent was out of ear shot Mac said to Anna. "And we are trusting the WSB to destroy this stuff."

"I know the WSB has had problems Mac, but Frisco is in charge now."

Mac never a Frisco fan simply scoffed.

As the Man with thick blond hair and coke bottle eyeglasses entered the Room Mayor Laura Webber-Collins came out from behind her desk and gave him a huge smile and a surprised hug.

The man gave Laura a hug back after a moment. She moved away holding his arms. "Look at you. It has been far too many years, Sly."

Sly Eckhart looked at the woman who had once been married to his Father's identical cousin and was the mother of the man who had been his childhood best friend and said. "That it has Madame mayor."

Laura pointed to a chair in front of her desk. She waited for Sly to sit down then sat behind her desk. "Sly you look good, so married? Children?"

He shrugged. "Tried the married thing. No kids. Got my eye on number two she just doesn't know it yet."

"Well she would be a fool to pass you up."

Sly laughed.

Laura picked up a folder on her desk. "I had no idea that you had gotten your master's degree in Urban Planning until your resume crossed my desk. I am so glad you could come in for an appointment so quickly."

"My pleasure, I have been thinking of moving back to Port Charles for a while. Aunt Jenny has remarried and is living in Florida, so New York City was a little lonely."

"And Florida?"

"Too darn hot and too many mice." Sly said with a grin.

Laura nodded. "And you did Urban Planning for the mayor's officer there?"

"Yes, under two administrations."

Laura nodded. "As you know Sly, Port Charles has never had a city planner or an office of Urban Development. "

Sly nodded.

"However recent changes have made it clear that we need, that as well as an office of economic development. And we need them yesterday."

"I may have someone you can consider for economic development."

"I would love to see their resume."

"I'll get it to you." Sly said with a smile. "And Urban Planning."

"We have put together a coalition of the big Port Charles investors, ELQ, both branches of Aurora Media, Taub LLC, which is control by Scott and Serena Baldwin and even Cassadine Enterprises."

"That is a group of heavy hitters." Sly replied.

"Yes, most of whom have been business rivals in the pass and many of whom do not like each other personally. We need a city planner who they can respect and who can wield them together as a unit."

"I can do that Madame Mayor. Working in New York City toughens your hide and as a native son of Port Charles, with a history in everything from the Barrett Cannery to my Grandparents small bakery, I know not only the city but the players."

Laura smiled and stood up. She put her hand out and said. "Well then Sly, welcome home and welcome to the City of Port Charles Department of Urban Planning."

Sly gave a wide grin. "Wonderful, what is my first assignment?"

"Finding a few empty offices around here and hiring a staff." Laura said.

"Great. When can I start?"

Laura looked at her watch and said. "How about right after we grab some lunch at Kelly's for old time sake?"

Marijain Shehu was watching the YES network replay of the Yankee Game. He had had the game on as background noise while he reviewed this week's earning from the Astoria store fronts. He had seen the Judge line drive and its aftermath out of the corner of his eye. He rewound the TV and watched it again. Then one more time

He paused on the shot of Jason kissing Rovena

"Well, well Mr. Morgan."

Dawn Broke on a new day:

In the Bronx, Alan Lee Holt stirred in bed, the girl Rovena curled tightly to his side. He drifted back to sleep. A sleep far more peaceful then he had ever known as Jason Morgan.

In a small apartment in Port Charles Sly Eckhart sat at his coffee table, He looked at a picture of he and Lucky when they were young and laughed to himself.

TJ Ashford walked silently into the Kitchen where his mother and Curtis were having breakfast

"Should you be up?" Jordan asked.

"I'm fine" He said. "I'm going out."

"Where?" Curtis asked.

"Spoon Island" TJ said as he walked out the door not waiting for an answer.

Franco Baldwin put the easel dead center in the middle of Ava's gallery. A sleepy-eyed Ava, Avery in her arms said. "What the hell are you doing Franco."

Franco walked out and came back with a painting. He put it on the easel and removed the covering.

"It will look better here; the lighting works better." He said. He took the tarp off. "It's for Scott. It's Karen."

Ava who was not given to sympathy or emotion felt a tear. "It's perfect."

Donal Hasanpapa rolled over and kissed the hair of the woman sleeping next to him. "Good Morning Alexis."

Alexis yawned stretched and then blinked her eyes. "Oh damn" She said.

Soumia, a hoodie that had the WSB emblem at its center, loosely covering her head. Stepped out onto her front stoop. Lucky was standing there. She came behind him and hugged him.

"Glad to be home in Port Charles?" She asked.

Lucky sighed. "Glad to be home with you."

In the living room at Graymor Sonny sat in his large recliner. He was still in his bathrobe and pajamas. He had not shaved, and he felt exhausted, but he was home.

Kristina came in with a large glass of Orange Juice.

"Daddy I am so glad you are home."

He smiled. "I am too sweetheart. Very glad."

Kristina went over and got Sonny's pill case. As she did, she said to him. "I am going to speak to Mom and tell her that I am going to move in here. You should not be alone; would you like me to move in?"

Sonny nodded and touched the side of his daughter's cheek "Very much."

Kristina handed Sonny his pills and the juice glass. He smiled at her and said. "Go get yourself a glass of juice too Honey, we need to make a toast and I do not want to drink alone."

Kristina smiled and got up. In the kitchen she poured herself a glass of juice. She stopped for a moment and reached into her pocket and took out three pills. She popped them in her mouth and took a swig of the juice.

In the living room Sonny shoved the pills in the pocket of his robe.

"Are you sure that is wise?" Lilly asked him.

"Yes. I am" Sonny said to the woman who was not there.


End file.
